Artist Fingers

I adore Artfest. Teesha Moore does such a wonderful job of gathering artists to teach all of us. They are the best of the best, and Fort Worden in Port Townsend, Washington is a truly magical place. But I must say, that the hardest part about the experience is what it did to my poor nails. Here is what they looked like after three days of making art. I thought they would never be the same.

But lo and behold, after weeks of treating them to lots of oily mixtures, I was able to get them back into shape. Here is what they look like now. Didn't I do a great job of the manicure? Yep....not a salon job....my own work of manicure art. I guess being an artist also applies to getting the polish on neatly!!

Beauty and the Mess

This week I went to a meeting of the LIBROS Book Arts Guild at the Treasurer's home (I am the new Membership Chair...wanna join?). Her home was awesome - very cool and arty and the view from her patio was breathtaking. See?

Not so beautiful was what happened to me at work......I pulled my desk drawer out too far and it ended up on the floor!! Gave me a chance to clean it out, and now it, too, is beautiful!!

Sorry....I don't have an "after" shot. You'll just have to take my word for it.

The Artist's Way

Often I am the last one to discover cool new things, and this time isn't any different!! I was looking at Dayna Collins' website (http://www.alleyartstudio.com/) the other day. She is an artist I bought a postcard from at Artfest earlier this month....beautiful work....check her out.
She talked about "The Artist's Way" so I checked that out, too (http://www.theartistsway.com/). Julia Cameron has written books about "discovering and recovering your creative self". Well, I certainly have a need for that!! So I started doing the morning pages and now I get up every day 45 minutes early to write in my journal. I thought I would hate it, but I make myself a chai tea and pour my heart and brain into my pages and I am really loving it.
If I understand correctly (and tomorrow I am going to the bookstore to actually get the book), I am not supposed to spend time reading what I wrote and not necessarily share my thoughts. Part of exploring my creative self .......so I can't let you peek into my journal. I can only make you curious by showing you the front of it!! Some day I might be famous and this photo could be in People magazine and if I showed you the pages, there would surely be some scandal about them. So you'll just have to guess (and continue your subscription to People.....just in case!!)

So I've been telling everyone about my great, new discovery, and it seems many, many people have already been using the techniques. That's ok........slow and steady wins the race, right??

1892 - Who are these people?

Last year I signed up for Mary Ann Moss' online workshop entitled "Remains of the Day". Check out some of the photos on her blog....http://dispatchfromla.typepad.com. The workshop teaches you how to make fabulous journals, and although I have yet to finish mine, the yahoo group associated with the workshop is fantastic and I've done some swaps with the participants. I highly recommend you sign up......it is well worth your hard earned $$.

Anyway.....Mary Ann has hinted that she is coming out with a new class in June and that in preparation for it, we should purchase a vintage photo album. Knowing how great Mary Ann's classes are, those of us who "know" her are ready to click on the PayPal button and buy it as soon as it becomes available.....sight unseen....that's how wonderful her workshops are!

So last week I watched the auctions on eBay and I purchased one. It came today and I am blown away by the wonderful piece of history I purchased for only $21. It dates back to the late 1800's and came with many, many picture plates of people from the past, posed for all eternity. There aren't many names written anywhere in the book, so I am left to wonder who these people were and why the album now belongs to me and wasn't handed down to their ancestors. It is a treasure and I am so happy to now be the keeper of these beautiful portraits from the past.

Artfest and Journal 365

I got back from Artfest last week. Words cannot express what a wonderful time I had. I met up with four great ladies with whom I shared a rental car and we are now forever known as the Fabulous Five. I took classes with Mary Beth Shaw, L.K. Ludwig and Karen Michel. All of them were awesome. I am now saving my pennies (and nickels and dimes and quarters) to return next year for the fourth time!!

I also signed up to do Pam Carriker's online workshop entitled "Journal 365" and today I finished making the book that I will use to do the exercises. The workshop is meant to take you through a year of journaling. This will be a wonderful journey!!

I'm a fool

Well, not really.....but it IS April Fool's Day. No one has played a trick on me yet, but being the gullible person that I am, I am sure that someone will get me before the day is over.

I am having a wonderful day. Jana Roberts Benzon is here from Salt Lake City to teach a polymer workshop (check out her website at http://www.janarobertsbenzon.com/) This will be the third time I've brought her down to Albuquerque to teach, and we are having a blast. She will be doing a "Meet the Artist" event tonight in the gallery, and we are getting ready for that, then tomorrow we start the "Laser Cut" workshop. Thank goodness there are no real lasers involved, because I'm something of a klutz when it comes to dangerous tools!! I'll post photos of what we make and you'll have to take a step or two back from your keyboard because you'll be drooling!! (that is, of course, if what I make turns out ok!!) In the meantime, above is a self portrait I took of myself on a recent trip to visit family in Miami, as well as a photo of my brother and me as he took me on my very first motorcycle ride!!

New Year's Resolutions

Every year we make them.....well, I do anyway. I don't know why I do because resolutaions are destined to fail and I hate failing. I said I would post every week, and golly, gee, gosh, darn.....can it REALLY be a whole month since I posted?

Oh dear, here come the feelings of guilt....... I resolved to post every week and now I've let everyone down. That makes me laugh - I mean, it's not as if a million people are waiting for my next post with baited breath. Guess I've let myself down. But NO.....WAIT....I also resolved to NOT be so hard on myself. So it's a Catch 22 and something I will never resolve.

Who made up the idea of resolutions anyway, and why can't they start on 4th?